Fenerbahçe plays Kayserispor hoping to end its cup drought
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
Fenerbahçe players Caner Erkin (L) and Alex de Souza (R) congratulate Henri Bienvenu after the forward’s goal against Samsunspor in the round of 16. Bienvenu is the top scorer of the competition with four goals. AA photo
Hoping to end its notoriously poor streak in the Ziraat Turkish Cup, Fenerbahçe takes on Kayserispor in the competition tonight.The Yellow Canaries will make it to the semifinal if it beats the 2008 winner.
Fenerbahçe last won the title back in 1983, and its 29-year disappointment is one of the most notorious droughts in Turkish football folklore.
The 29-year period has been fruitful for Fenerbahçe’s rivals, with Galatasaray and Beşiktaş each winning the trophy seven times and Trabzonspor clinching it six times.
However, it can be said that Fenerbahçe has a good chance of ending its terrible run this year, with its archrivals having crashed out of the competition in the earlier stages of the tournament.
Galatasaray lost 1-0 to Sivasspor, while Trabzonspor was beaten 2-1 by Medical Park Antalyaspor in extra-time, in the round of 16 games last month. Last year’s winner Beşiktaş’s title defense also crashed in the same round, when they lost 1-0 to Boluspor, from the second-tier League One.
The quarter-final round will be played over one leg and on neutral ground.
Eskişehirspor was scheduled to play against Medical Park Antalyaspor in Istanbul yesterday.
There are two more quarterfinal clashes tomorrow, with Kardemir Karabükspor playing against Boluspor in Ankara and Sivasspor meeting Bursaspor in Istanbul.
However, the focus will be on whether Fenerbahçe, which has lost in the final seven times since its last victory, will be able to break its bad streak or not.
“Trophies are what counts for a footballer,” Swiss left back Reto Ziegler said to broadcaster NTV Spor yesterday. “I have lost two finals in Italy and Switzerland so I want to win the cup as much as anyone here at the club.”
“We want to advance in the cup, but Kayserispor is a club with a lot of quality, especially in attack,” Ziegler added. “We want to stop them and advance for the next round.”
Fenerbahçe will be without two key players, Brazilian attacker Alex de Souza and midfielder Emre Belözoğlu, who will be rested ahead of the weekend’s Super League playoff game against Trabzonspor.
The game at the 19 Mayıs Stadium in Ankara starts at 8:30 p.m. tonight.
